Sealed contact device with ferrite elements



Feb. 1, 1966 B. DAL BIANCO ETAL ,2 3,

SEALED CONTACT DEVICE WITH FERRITE ELEMENTS Original Filed.Dec. 27. 1961Inventor B. Dal Bianco B M. Scata t ney United States Patent 3,233,062 oSEALED CONTACT DEVICE WITH FERRITE ELEMENTS Bruno D'al Bian'co; Milan,and Mario Scata, Monza,

Milan, Italy, assignors to International Standard Elecfric Corporation,New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Continuation of applicationSer. No. 162,485, Dec. 27,

1961'. This application Nov. 1 6, 1;964,Ser. No. 412,879 7 Claims. (Cl.200-87) This is a continuation of applicationSerialNo. 162,485, filedDecember 27, 1961', now abandoned. I

Thepresent invention relates to sealed" contact devices using ferriteelements asa magnetic bias for the reed armature; An example of thesealed contact device used in this invention may be similar to thatdisclosed in US. Patent No. 3',0"56;8 69, issued'Oct ober" 2, 1962.

One or the features of the present invention is to use smallferriteelement's to control' the make-and-break operations of thecontacts enclosed and sealed into glass vessels, as describedin theabove-mentioned patent.

A principal object of the presentinvention is then to extend the"utilization possibilities of the sealed contact units by using suchferrite elements.

An object of the present invention is to operate and temporarily holdthe electrical contact of a sea-led contact device closed, by sending apulse of polarized current and torelease said contact" by sendinganother pulse oppositely polarized. This is made possible because theeffect of a ferrite magnet placed in a suitable position between themagnetic members of a sealed contact relay, is such that it holds thecontact operated after having sent a current pulse, its effect being to'increase the permane'nt magnetisation of the ferrite element and torelease sai'dcontact by means of a pulse of opposite current.

Another object of the present invention is to" provide a bistable device(flip-flop) by using two sealed contact units in conjunction with aferrite element and keying polarized current pulses.

A further object of the present invention is also to make it possibleto'u'se' one or more sealed contact devices in conjunction with ferriteelements, having a rectangular hysteresis loop and carrying an actuatingwinding-to accomplish various effects.

Using the arrangements comprising the objects above mentioned it ispossible to obtain a plurality of different applications to be used inthe communication field, in the fields of memory circuits, computingmachines, changeover switches, standard switches, selectors, etc.

The above features and objects of the present invention and the mannerof attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itselfwill be better understood by reference to the following description ofthree embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows schematically a sealed contact relay carrying a permanentmagnetisation bar or a small block of ferrite placed between themagnetic terminals protruding from the vessel.

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a couple of sealed contact devices,composing a relay, coupled therebetween by a permanent magnetisationferrite bar, placed between the magnetic terminals protruding from thetwo vessels.

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically a sealed contact relay, the terminalsof which comprise a permanent magnetisation ferrite bar having arectangular hysteresis loop and carrying an actuating winding.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a vessel 1 containing themagnetic members carrying electric contacts, as claimed in ourabove-mentioned patent application, between two terminals 2-3 of whichis introduced 3,233,062 Patented Feb. 1, 1966 a small block or bar 4-offerrite having permanent magnetisation. As is known, ferrite is aferromagnetic material having insulating electrical properties andtherefore it can be placed in contact with the two terminals 23 ofvessel 1 without modifying the electrical circuit thereof and notcausing losses in the magnetic circuit thereof. Tosaid-termin'als-2-3there is also connected the external circuit AB inthe known manner. By 5there is indicated the electric winding for the actuation of the relaycontacts. The Winding is disposed so as to produce a magnetic fielddirected at a right angle with the lines of the magnetic circuit of theferrite. Whena pulse of polarized current circulates through windingv 5the contact closes, if it was open or opens, if it was closed dependingupon the direction of the energizing current flowing through the windingfrom terminals 6 and 7.v This is due to the fact that, inthe case of themake-contact after the combined action of the ferrite magnet and thepulse of polarized current, the energy of said ferrite magnet issuflicient to hold said contact closed.

his obvious that this arrangement will make it possible to employ theserelays carrying ferrite blocks in several applications such as circuitbreakers, memories, push buttons, selectors, etc.

FIG. 2 illustrates the use of a couple of vessels 1-1 containingmagnetic members carrying electrical contacts, between the externalterminals of which 23, 2-3 there is introduced a small ferrite bar 4having permanent magnetisation, in the manner shown in the figure. Anelectrical winding 5 surrounds the two vessels 1-1 and as soon ascurrent flows through the former a magnetic field is started, thedirection of which is at right angle with that of the magnetic linesinherent to the bar or magnet 4 of ferrite. When said two magneticsealed contact devices 11 are alternately arranged, riding on the endsof ferrite bar, having permanent magnetisation, the arrival of a pulseof polarized current flowing in coil 5 in one direction, causes theelectrical contact of vessel 1 to operate if that of vessel 1' wasopenand vice-versa. The utilization circuits are connected to conductorsAB and CD, as it is known. It is evident that by a suitable connectionin common to said two terminals it will also be possible to obtain aswitchover contact.

The device illustrated in FIG, 2 can then be used in severalapplications such as: polarized relays, memory circuits, flip-flopcircuits, line concentrators, selectors, etc.

FIG. 3 illustrates a sealed contact device 1 between the magneticterminals 2 and 3 of which there is introduced a ferrite block 4carrying a winding 8. This ferrite block is known, in the art ofmagnetic materials, to have a predetermined rectangular hysteresis loopcharacteristic due towhich its magnetis-ation conditions can be changedby using pulses of electrical current. For example, it is known thateach succeeding pulse of electrical current can be used to drive theferrite block to a successively greater degree of magnetisation, untilthe ferrite becomes magnetically saturated. Therefore, winding 8 may beused, in response to pulses, to cause variations from previouslyexisting conditions in the magnetic condition of the material.

By combining the action of winding 5 with the action of winding 8, thesebeing set at an angle of with each other and using pulses of electricalcurrent properly directioned, there will be obtained various andinteresting effects for the actuation of electrical circuits. Forexample, a particular current applied to winding 5 may be applied sothat one, two, three or more pulses must be applied to winding 8 beforethe magnetic field induced in ferrite block 4 will be adequate to closethe contacts. In this way, the switch in FIG. 3 may be considered tooperate as a counter.

From the above there follows that the arrangements in question are givenas preferred illustrative examples of the application of the principleof the present invention. Several other arrangements can be devised bythose skilled in the art without departing however from the spirit andthe scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetically operated switch structure comprisa switching unithaving first and second spaced parallel bars of magnetic material and acooperating armature of magnetic material positioned in flux-linkingrelationship therewith;

an enclosing envelope within which said armature and a portion of saidbars are enclosed with the other portion of said bars extendingexternally out of one end of said envelope and sealed therethrough in avacuum-tight manner;

magnetic core means positioned between the external portions of saidbars;

a winding on said core for establishing a first magnetic field varyingin strength in proportion to the number of individual signal pulsesreceived and traversing a closed magnetic path to said armature; and

a flux generating winding encirclng said envelope and external to saidclosed path for selectively generating a second magnetic fieldreinforcing or opposing said first magnetic field.

2. A magnetically operated switch structure as set forth in claim 1wherein:

said magnetic core means comprises magnetically permeable materialhaving rectangular hysteresis loop characteristics.

3. A magnetically operated switch structure as set forth in claim 1wherein:

said magnetic flux generating means is electrically insulated from andmagnetically linked with said parallel bar-s.

4. The switch of claim 1 wherein:

said magnetic core comprises a ferrite block and said winding on saidcore comprises means for incrementally driving said core to magneticsaturation responsive to successive pulses of electrical current.

5. An electro-magnetic counter, comprising:

switch means coupled to terminals for connection to external circuits;

magnetic core means positioned to provide a first magnetic field toinfluence said switch means;

a first winding;

said first winding embracing said magnetic core to progressivelyincrease the magnetization of said core in steps according to the numberof pulses of electromagnetic energy received by said first winding;

a second winding;

said second winding embracing said switching means to provide a secondmagnetic field to be combined vectorially with said first magneticfield;

said first and second magnetic fields combining to operate said switchmeans when the magnetization of said first winding reaches a prescribedlevel in coincidence with the magnetization of the second winding and tocontrol current to said external circuits in accordance withpredetermined relationships.

6. An electromagnetic counter, comprising:

a pair of armature arms composed of magnetic material;

contact means for completing an electric circuit, each of said contactmeans being fastened to one of said armature arms;

a winding encircling first ends of said armature arms for supplying afirst magnetic field to influence the closure of said contact means;

core means positioned to complete a magnetic circuit between second endsof said armature arms;

a winding on said core means for supplying a second magnetic field toinfluence the closure of said contact means; and

said core means responding to successive pulses of elec trical energy insaid winding to be driven in discrete steps toward electromagneticsaturation.

7. An electro-magnetic counter, comprising:

switching means having first and second spaced bars of magnetic materialbearing contact means;

a magnetic core positioned to form magnetic linkages with first ends ofsaid bars;

a winding on said magnetic core means for magnetizing said core inresponse to a plurality of pulses to establish a first magnetic field;

said magnetic core means response to successive .pulses ofelectromagnetic energy to be driven to successively higher states ofmagnetization;

a flux generating winding positioned to form magnetic linkages withsecond ends of the bars and in response to electromagnetic signals toprovide a second magnetic field reinforcing or opposing said firstmagnetic field to provide resultant magnetic field; and

the resulting magnetic field serving to operate said switching unit whena pre-determined number of electromagnetic pulses have been received bysaid magnetic core means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,892,051 6/1959Moore 200-81 2,907,846 10/1959 Wilhelm 20087 2,965,733 12/1960 Ter Borget a1 ZOO-87 2,992,306 7/1961 Feiner 2.0087 2,995,637 8/1961 Feiner etal 200-87 3,002,067 9/1961 Baldwin et al. 200-87 3,005,072 10/1961 Brown20087 3,008,020 11/1961 Mason ZOO-87 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, PrimaryExaminer.

1. A MAGNETICALLY OPERATED SWITCH STRUCTURE COMPRISING: A SWITCHING UNITHAVING FIRST AND SECOND SPACED PARALLEL BARS OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL AND ACOOPERATING ARMATURE OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL POSITIONED IN FLUX-LINKINGRELATIONSHIP THEREWITH; AN ENCLOSING ENVELOPE WITHIN WHICH SAID ARMATUREAND A PORTION OF SAID BARS ARE ENCLOSED WITH THE OTHER PORTION OF SAIDBARS EXTENDING EXTERNALLY OUT OF ONE END OF SAID ENVELOPE AND SEALEDTHERETHROUGH IN A VACUUM-TIGHT MANNER; MAGNETIC CORE MEANS POSITIONEDBETWEEN THE EXTERNAL PORTIONS OF SAID BARS; A WINDING ON SAID CORE FORESTABLISHING A FIRST MAGNETIC FIELD VARYING IN STRENGTH IN PROPORTION TOTHE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL SIGNAL PULSES RECEIVED AND TRAVERSING A CLOSEDMAGNETIC PATH TO SAID ARMATURE; AND A FLUX GENERATING WINDING ENCIRCLINGSAID ENVELOPE AND EXTERNAL TO SAID CLOSED PATH FOR SELECTIVELYGENERATING A SECOND MAGNETIC FIELD REINFORCING OR OPPOSING SAID FIRSTMAGNETIC FIELD.